Paranormal Activity 2 earned $6.3 million at midnight showings on approximately 1,800 screens, which makes for the best midnight premiere ever for an R-rated movie. The closest competitor is 2009’s Watchmen which brought in $4.6 million though that was only in 1,595 theaters. Paranormal‘s midnight haul translated to $20.1 million for Friday, which I would expect to turn into $36 million for the weekend in 3,216 theaters.
When compared to the original, it took last year’s Paranormal Activity 25 days to reach the $35 million total, but it was still only in 760 theaters at that point. In fact, at no point was the original film ever over 2,712 theaters in its widest release and it still went on to make over $107 domestically after 119 days in release. Will Paranormal Activity 2 be able to hit the $100 million number?
In the supernatural thriller’s wake is last weekend’s surprise $50 million opener Jackass 3D, which means the 50% drop it’s likely to have this weekend isn’t too shabby. On Friday it brought home an estimated $7.5 million and will likely end up with $23-25 million for the weekend, already bringing its total haul to $90 million. For fans that can’t get enough, don’t worry, this film isn’t done yet as a Jackass 3.5 is already planned for a January DVD release.
In third is last week’s other newcomer, the geriatric action-comedy Red bringing home $4.5 million on Friday and likely to end around $13 million for the weekend. Personally I didn’t think the film was all that bad, but after reading Eric Snider’s treatment of what it might have been like had David Mamet written the screenplay proves it could have been so much better.
Next, expanding into 2,181 theaters, comes Clint Eastwood’s own supernatural drama, Hereafter, which managed $220,322 from only six theaters last weekend. On Friday it brought home $4.1 million in receipts and will likely end somewhere in the $11 million range. I’m not sure what to make of this result, but I don’t expect this film to have very long legs. I assume Eastwood fans will be sure to catch it as soon as they can, but I personally don’t think it will be a film that keeps audiences buzzing.
Rounding out Friday’s top five is David Fincher’s The Social Network which brought home $2.2 million and will likely come home with another $6.5-7 million for the weekend bringing its total to over $70 million. It’s going to be hard for it to reach that $100 million number at this pace, but I think at this point Sony is already calling it a win as it has definite Oscar prospects, another $17 million from foreign markets and assured DVD and Blu-ray interest.
I have added the top ten Friday estimates directly below and will be back here Sunday morning with a complete wrap-up.
- Paranormal Activity 2 – $20.1 million
- Jackass 3D – $7.5 million
- Red – $4.5 million
- Hereafter – $4.1 million
- The Social Network – $2.2 million
- Life As We Know It – $2.005 million
- Secretariat – $2.003 million
- The Town – $820,000
- Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole – $775,000
- Easy A – $565,000
